


Setting Some Ground Rules

by SamuelJames



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: M/M, Reference To Canon Deaths
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-13
Updated: 2014-01-13
Packaged: 2018-01-08 14:58:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1134041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SamuelJames/pseuds/SamuelJames
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With everything that's going on right now, the last thing Stiles wants is relationship drama</p>
            </blockquote>





	Setting Some Ground Rules

**Author's Note:**

> Title: Setting Some Ground Rules  
> Pairing/Characters: Issac Lahey/Stiles Stilinski, Sheriff Stilinski  
> Rating: 18+/NC-17 for language  
> Summary: With everything that's going on right now, the last thing Stiles wants is relationship drama.  
> Notes: My take on Stiles' comment to Isaac about milking his past.  
> Disclaimer: Teen Wolf is the property of its creators. No copyright infringement is intended.  
> Archiving Information: Please do not archive elsewhere on the net.

Stiles doesn't mind Isaac being a few minutes late. He can't always get away from the McCall's without tons of questions or making excuses. He doesn't even think too much about it when a few minutes becomes fifteen minutes.

However, when Isaac's half an hour late, he starts to worry and Stiles texts him. His phone beeps a minute later with a one word response, busy. That throws him a little because they definitely made plans to study together and with everything he's going through, he could use someone to talk to. Scott is a good listener but it's not fair to burden him when he has to worry about shifting at school and possibly killing someone. Maybe Scott is why Isaac's busy, maybe something happened.

He starts on his homework which is okay for a few minutes until the words begin to swim in front of his eyes. He starts to panic that he's somehow fallen asleep without knowing and pinches himself but the words still remain jumbled and now he has two crescent shaped marks on the back of his hand.

He died for his dad and he'd do it again but this is some sort of fucking awful trade off. He and Isaac are still sneaking around for some reason best known to Isaac and while he wishes they weren't, it'd be a nice trade for all this post resurrection bullshit they're dealing with. Deaton's words echo in his mind, but close the door that's ajar is pretty cryptic as far as practical solutions go. Maybe the new girl can help. If she could sound a bit less sure about the death thing, that'd be helpful. His dad won't be home for another while but if this is a dream, will his dad show up. He might not be dreaming, his room is still his room. There's no creepy doors, no Lydia in his bed and no haunted tree stumps.

His phone beeps again. It's Isaac asking him to call. Stiles calls him straight away. "Is everything okay?"

"I'm sorry, Stiles. I shouldn't have stood you up."

"Oh. So no emergency, that's kind of a relief because Scott's transformations could get dangerous and I was thinking maybe you had to stay for some reason but you just stood me up. That's pretty shitty but you know at least it's a normal problem."

"Stiles!"

"Sorry. Was I rambling?"

"Yeah. Look at school yesterday, that comment about my past and me milking it. That crossed a line."

"You kind of made light of it first." Stiles pauses, excuses aren't the way to go. "I thought it was selling our cover and I'm sorry. I thought you wanted Scott to think we just about tolerate one another."

"Yeah, that might have been stupid. Us bickering drives him crazy and he's the best friend I have and your actual best friend so it's not like he'd tell the world."

Stiles smiles, this sounds promising. "Does that mean we can tell him? He's a great guy and we wouldn't have to snipe at one another and you wouldn't have to keep talking to him about Allison to provoke him just because you feel guilty about being with his best friend."

"Allison is beautiful. I didn't make any of that stuff up."

"Just what every guy wants to hear."

"Like you've suddenly given up on loving Lydia."

"Isaac, we're headed towards a fight we don't need to have. I need you, all three of us do. With everything that's happening, I need some certainty. I can't trust my mind, my eyes or even that I have a future but a minute ago we were talking about not being a secret any more. Do you want that?"

There's silence but Stiles waits it out. He's already out to his dad, even if his dad doesn't quite believe him and he's really okay with any of his friends knowing he's bi so it's all on Isaac really. He's prepared to wait for an answer but crosses his fingers anyway. Lying back on his bed he looks at his posters and the words stay steady. It's kind of a relief, however temporary it might be.

"Stiles. You still there?"

"Yeah and for the record this may be the longest phone call I've ever had."

"Sorry. I do want to tell Scott or we could tell him together or whatever. It's just that living here matters to me, I couldn't handle having to leave. Mrs McCall is great and she'd be okay with this wouldn't she?"

"Yeah, she's awesome. Kinda badass with a baseball bat too but you should hear her talk to my dad about you and Scott. It's like you're another son to her."

"Okay, no more being secret. This other stuff though that's happening to all three of you, it scares the hell out of me and I'm just on the sidelines. I'd help any of you if you needed it but what if one of you is in danger and I have another motel moment."

"I'll understand. PTSD doesn't just go away and I never meant to imply it did with my comment. I've read up on it, not that you're like a case study to me. Back when I could focus on a book without the words scrambling, I did some research and I know that it takes time. Look can you still come over and we can talk in person."

"Okay. I'll hang up now."

"Bye."

"Bye, Stiles. I'll be there soon."

Stiles disconnects and drops his phone on his bed. He wants to be happy, he is happy but somehow he can't make himself smile like his mouth has forgotten how to do what he did just moments ago. At least he's sure of Isaac now and sure that his dad will always be there. He's worried about Allison seeing Kate in case it means he might see his mom. His brain might show him Boyd or Erica, or even half of Laura Hale. If he could see his mom, the sweet one who read to him and taught him to swim he'd take that no questions asked but if there are demons like Kira says, it might be some twisted zombified version of her. Luckily Isaac's arrival makes the image of his decomposing mom leave his mind.

Isaac looks nervous so Stiles grabs his hand and pulls him into the house.

"I'm glad you're here. Did you eat yet?"

"No."

"There's pizza."

"Sounds good, Stiles."

Stiles takes the pizza from the freezer and puts it on a rack in the oven. It'll take a while so he pours two glasses of milk and grabs a packet of Oreos from the press. They sit across from one another and Isaac offers the first suggestion.

"We could just hold hands in front of him. He'd get that."

Stiles shrugs. "It would save on a long explanation but he'd still have questions. He'll definitely want to know why we kept it secret."

"I'll tell him it was me, my choice." Isaac gestures at Stiles, dropping Oreo crumbs on the table. "You can lead if you want and I'll take the questions."

"Are you sure?"

Isaac nods. "About the other stuff, I don't like the jokes. I mean I try to make light of it for my own sake, like if I talk about it I'll be okay but it's kind of like when someone criticises their family, they're allowed but you're not. It wasn't all awful but everyone thinks of my dad as a monster. He wasn't. He was my dad and he did some truly terrible things to me, but I remember the good stuff and the bad. I'm not excusing him but I won't vilify him either."

Stiles nods. "Okay. I get it, no more jokes or comments. I didn't mean any of it though so please still talk to me if you need to."

"Sure and you have to talk to me too. If we're doing this properly I need to know what's happening, especially if you don't want to make your dad worry."

"Deal."

Isaac drains his glass of milk and puts it on the sink. Stiles scoops the crumbs into his hand and puts the packet back in the press. He drops the crumbs in the bin and smiles when Isaac wraps his arm round him. He notices that he's smiling, like the physicality of Isaac being here makes it more real. He turns and Isaac kisses him. He puts his hand on Isaac's ass and deepens their kiss. A whistle makes them break apart.

"Hi, dad. Isaac came over to study."

"So how long have you and my son been _studying_?"

Isaac blushes but now is not the time for Stiles to find that endearing.

"Six weeks, sir."

His dad nods and turns to him. "So I guess I shouldn't judge a gay book by it's cover."

Stiles rolls his eyes. "I did try to tell you and it's bi, by the way. Isaac too. It's a bit stereotypical to think all gay guys dress nice just because Danny does."

"Well that told me. Something smells good. Are you staying for dinner, Isaac?"

"Yes please."

"Good. I have a few questions I'd like to ask."

Isaac grabs Stiles' hand.

"Go easy, dad. The police weren't exactly friendly when Mr. Lahey died."

"Not those kinds of questions, the supernatural kind. I've asked Scott some but the more I look, the more weird stuff I find and I'd like to know what I'm dealing with while it's still my job to deal with them."

Isaac's grip loosens and Stiles feels relieved though still concerned for his dad. "I wish Scott's dad would just back off."

"Me too, son. There enough food for me?"

"Should be, it's a large pizza but maybe you could put on some french fries to stretch dinner to cover three of us."

His dad grins. "You're letting me have fries without a lecture. You must really want me to like your boyfriend."

"I do. You will." He quite likes his dad's use of the word boyfriend, even if it's a word that neither he or Isaac have said yet. "Thanks, dad. We'll be back down in a while for food."

"Okay but, boys, leave the door open while you _study_."

"Yes, sir."

"Good answer, Isaac, you might be a good influence on this one after all."


End file.
